Starting Over Again
by Shipper Utopia
Summary: Steve finds a new girl...but will she end up like the others? Set in present time, but has nothing to do with the movies.


"I wish you had at least met the girl I wanted you to go out with tonight." Mark Sloan told his son. "You really would have liked her."  
  
"There's Amanda." Steve said, heading towards their friend that was talking to a blonde woman that Steve couldn't help but smile at. She wore a floor-length, delicate pink spaghetti-strap dress with a sweetheart neckline.  
  
"Amanda, Callie." Mark greeted both women with a hug and they both smiled. "Steve, this is Dr. Caroline Richards."  
  
"Callie." The blonde corrected with a Southern accent, her light blue eyes twinkling.  
  
"Callie, this is my son, Lieutenant Steve Sloan." Mark said, obvious pride in his voice.  
  
"You know, Steve, Callie's the same Chief of Pediatrics that we've been trying to get you to meet." Amanda said, not too subtly.  
  
Jesse Travis came over. "Hey, you guys. Amanda, do you want to dance?"  
  
"Sure." She walked out on the floor with one of her best friends and Mark was called to one of his colleagues, Madison Wesley.  
  
Callie laughed. "You know, Steve, maybe we should tell them."  
  
He reached for her hand. "All right. I think we've made them suffer enough. We'll tell them tonight." He watched her protectively. "I hate these things. I'd rather be at home watching the basketball game or..."  
  
"On the beach or at my house?" She teased.  
  
"Absolutely. You really look beautiful tonight." He felt the need to touch her face lightly and kiss her.  
  
"And you look handsome." She said more seriously.  
  
"Well, since we're such a good-looking couple, would you like to dance?"  
  
"I'd be delighted and we'd make your Dad's day." He couldn't argue with that.  
  
Jesse traded Amanda to Mark as the next song began to play. Callie and Steve walked out together on the floor and he wondered when they would tell Mark and Amanda. Callie had walked into BBQ Bob's when she first moved to Los Angeles a year ago and Steve had been in love with her since.  
  
"There you are in the early light of day. There you are in the quiet words I pray. I've been blessed by the simple happiness of the perfect love we've made. Every time I turn around, when I'm lost and when I'm found, like an angel standing guard, there you are. Every time I take a breath and when I forget to breathe, you're watching over me. There you are. When I'm looking for the light in the middle of the night, searching for the brightest star, there you are. There you are standing in a crowded room. There you are the earth and I'm the moon. My desire is to stand by the fire that burns inside of you. Every time I turn around, when I'm lost and when I'm found, like an angel standing guard, there you are. Every time I take a breath and when I forget to breathe, you're watching over me. There you are. When I'm looking for the light in the middle of the night, searching for the brightest star, there you are. When I'm looking for the light in the middle of the night, searching for the brightest star, there you are. There you are. There you are."  
  
The song held significance for not only Callie and Steve, but also Mark and Amanda. Over the years, when she needed anything, he was the first person she turned to. She rebelled against him like a daughter did a father and each time, he forgave her and still loved her as unconditionally as he loved Steve. The music stopped and, reluctantly, Steve and Callie went back to stand beside Jesse; Amanda and Mark joined them a few minutes later.  
  
"You two looked good out there." Mark said, smiling.  
  
"Dad, Amanda, we have something to tell you. Jesse already knows." Steve began, holding Callie's hand.  
  
"About a year ago, right after I moved to LA, I'd heard so much from you three about BBQ Bob's that I had to go try it. Steve was in there. At first, we were afraid that something would go wrong and we didn't want you guys in the middle, and then it just got harder to tell you because we hadn't before." Even after a year, no one had gotten used to Callie's Kentucky accent or bewitching eyes. It took awhile for her words to sink in and, when they did, Amanda hugged her.  
  
"I'm so happy for you!" She said.  
  
After the benefit ended, Steve went back home to the beach house with his father. After changing from the tux to a t-shirt and sweatpants, he reached for the phone beside the couch.  
  
Callie was just changing as well when the phone rang. "Hello?"  
  
"It's me."  
  
"Hey, me. What's up?"  
  
"Just checking to make sure you got home all right. You want to meet for lunch tomorrow?"  
  
"I can't get away from the hospital."  
  
"Well, it happens to be your lucky day. (A) I love hospital food and (B) I happen to own part of a restaurant that does take-out." He teased.  
  
She laughed. "BBQ Bob's sounds great. My office, around one?"  
  
He smiled. "Perfect." He noticed his father standing in the shadows. "See you then." He hung up and looked at his father, who came into the living room.  
  
"You really like Callie, don't you?" Mark asked, unable to hide his approval.  
  
"Yeah. That's what worries me. Every other relationship, there's been something wrong with her. Either she was married or an axe murderer or gotten killed…Callie's different. I'm scared of losing her."  
  
"Well, you know what I did the last time I was scared of losing a woman?"  
  
"No. What?"  
  
"I married her and had two children." Steve smiled. His father's suggestion wasn't far off base; he'd even thought about what type of ring Callie would like.  
  
Steve was on the way over to the hospital when he heard the call over the police radio. "Explosion at Community General."  
  
He put on the siren, stepped on the gas, and ran every light between there and the hospital. Mark was outside the hospital, trying to help get the three-ring-circus of parking lot under control.  
  
"Dad, what happened?"  
  
"The pediatric wing exploded." Police arrived and Mark relinquished control. "Amanda. Callie. I haven't seen them." They went inside the building and hurried to the pediatric wing.  
  
"Where are the girls?" Jesse asked, joining Mark and Steve.  
  
"Mark!" The three men ran to where they heard Amanda calling. Callie was trapped underneath a beam. "She's in shock." Amanda said, trying to wipe the sweat from her friend's forehead.  
  
"Jesse, Dad, help me lift this. Amanda, when we get it up, drag her out." Steve said, already picking up the beam.  
  
Callie moaned as Amanda pulled her out gently and after they put the beam back down, Steve dropped to the tile floor beside her. "It's all right, baby. It's all right."  
  
"I'll go get a gurney." Jesse said, scurrying away.  
  
"Are you all right?" Mark asked Amanda.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. What about the kids? Did you get them all out in time?" She asked, brushing away a strand of hair from her smudged face.  
  
"They all were moved to other hospitals. The pediatrics was the only wing that was touched and the boys are with a babysitter. Meanwhile, I want you to get checked out. You might not be hurt as bad as Callie, but you need to take it easy." He stayed with her as he watched medics load Callie on the gurney and Steve followed them to the emergency room.  
  
"I'll go get checked out. Steve needs you right now." He nodded and went to the emergency room where his son was standing and watching Jesse and the nurses work on Callie.  
  
"Steve?" Mark asked quietly.  
  
Madison Wesley made her way to where Amanda was being checked out. "Amanda."  
  
"I'm all right. Mark's with Steve."  
  
She nodded. "I heard Callie was hurt. How is she?"  
  
"She was in shock. Jesse's taking care of her."  
  
"You can go, Dr. Bentley." Amanda nodded.  
  
"Thanks." She looked at Madison. "Walk with me to take care of the boys?" The women made their way to the ER where Mark was standing beside Steve.  
  
"I'll stay with him." Amanda said as Mark nodded and went to Madison.  
  
"How are you?" He asked, moving where they wouldn't disturb Steve, but Mark could still see him.  
  
"I'm fine. I was out at lunch, remember?"  
  
"I forgot."  
  
She nodded. "What about Steve? Amanda said that Callie was in shock."  
  
"I don't know what he'll do if he loses her." She nodded and watched his eyes.  
  
"And you?"  
  
"She's the most talented woman doctor I've seen in years, barring you and Amanda, of course."  
  
"Of course. And the fact that she and Steve happen to be madly in love has nothing to do with it I presume."  
  
"It has something to do with it, as does the fact that she reminds me of a cross between Amanda and Catherine." He said, referring to his late wife.  
  
Jesse came out as Mark and Madison joined Steve and Amanda. "She's asleep. We put a brace on her leg until she wakes up; then we'll try a cast. We're moving her to a room, but then you can see her, Steve."  
  
Steve couldn't speak and there were tears in his eyes. "Thanks, Jesse." Mark said for his son.  
  
"Come on. Let's go." Amanda said and Jesse nodded. "Do you guys need anything?" Mark shook his head and the two young friends left.  
  
"Do you want me to go too?" Madison asked, her eyes searching Mark's face.  
  
"No. No, stay with me." She nodded. 


End file.
